I followed the monstrous footsteps through the city streets, trying to muffle the sound of my labored, out-of-breath panting as much as possible.

Once I put enough distance between me and the market, an odd feeling began to settle in my stomach. There wasn’t a single car out on the road, not a single person walking the street. It was as if the whole town was completely abandoned—only, the buildings and streets were in perfect condition. The eerie stillness was unsettling. Despite the city’s vastness, my presence felt loud and intrusive in a place that seemed strangely poised for human life.

For about five minutes, I had been tracking the distant impacts of the creature rummaging through the city. Now, everything was silent. I quietly hoped that meant the demon had found Tyler, and that he was close by.

I had entered a middle-class suburban neighborhood full of houses that looked exactly the same. Even the grass for every yard was cut to the same length. Slowing my sprint to a mild jog, my eyes glided across each house.

I was certain the demon had entered this area, but even though its immense size made it unmissable—it had somehow managed to vanish. I tucked my shotgun against my side, making sure that I could easily aim and fire it at any moment. My open wounds throbbed—aching more with each passing second—my body begging me for rest. Still, I clenched my jaw and pushed forward.

Journeying through the cross streets, I began to notice broken light poles and damaged mailboxes. I followed the trail of destruction before me which eventually led me to a nearby cul-de-sac.

Faint voices caught my attention, coming from one of the houses. This particular house had a wooden porch with vibrant plant decor, complemented by an old rocking chair and a dangling wind chime. The front door was half opened, I crept closer to hear the ongoing conversation.

I was able to catch a glimpse of the occupants. I first saw Tyler and Kate standing in the living room next to a middle-aged woman. Kate had reverted back into her human form, and the woman beside her wore a pale pink knitted sweater covered by a colorful cooking apron.

“Now, Tyler,” the woman said carefully, “let’s not be rude to Miss Kate. We can all talk about this over dinner.”

“Shut the hell up!” Tyler said. He was still wearing that ridiculous outfit from the club. He peeked over his sunglasses and glared at Kate with fierce, piercing eyes. “You’re the one who brought that guy here, didn’t you?” He stomped toward her. “You’re trying to get me killed! That’s what you want, huh? You want me dead, don’t you!”

Kate backed away.

The mother frowned. She quickly turned away and silently walked back towards the kitchen.

“No, I swear!” Kate screamed. “I’m just trying to help you! There’s more people out there trying to get you. We have to leave now!”

“And go where, Kate?!” Tyler yelled. “I don’t have anywhere else!”

“U–U–Umm,” Kate stuttered frantically, her fingers combing through her hair, “we can—we can go to my mom’s house.”

Tyler shook his head. “You know your mom hates me, right? And who’s fault is that again?” he frantically paced around. “Yours!” he shouted. “Everything is always your fault! You’re the reason your mom hates me, and you’re the reason that I’m stuck here running for my life! It’s always you! No wonder everybody hates your dumbass.”

I knew perfectly well that the Kate in this world wasn’t real. But for some reason, an intense, uncontrollable force was boiling over inside me. I had no plan, but I couldn’t restrain myself from bursting through that door. So all in one instant, I kicked the door open, steadied my aim at Tyler and pulled the trigger. The shotgun's recoil struck me in the mouth, splitting my lip. With inhumane speed, Kate leapt in front of Tyler and the slug collided with her chest, sending her flying back against the wall.

Tyler's eyes snapped open at the sight of me. He promptly sprinted towards the back door.

“Not again!”

Kate pushed off from the caved-in wall and staggered towards me, her eyes gleaming with that familiar red hue. A bloodthirsty grimace plastered across her face as her voice traveled with a demonic reverberation, “I won’t let you go this time…”

Erupting into her demon form, the roof flew off from the house—shattering into millions of pieces across the front lawn. Her claws rose into the air as she let out a fierce, ear-piercing scream.

I hurdled over the porch fence and ran around the side of the house, dodging the demon’s feverish frenzy of attacks. Her claws rained down from the sky like bolts of lightning, tearing apart the ground and any foliage that stood in their way.

I lowered my shoulder and pounded through the fence to the backyard, breaking open the gate.

“UGGGH!” My body was at its limit. I couldn’t take any more. This was my last chance, I needed this to end before my body gave out on me.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Tyler sprinted through the back lawn, making a break for the back fence. As I ran towards him, I felt an intense wave of pain slice through my left thigh from the demon’s sharp talons. I stumbled to the ground, screaming in anguish. With all my might, I forced my body upwards to advance. Kate lunged toward me, growling with the uncontrolled urgence of a rabid, bloodthirsty pitbull.

“Get… Away!!” I screamed, gasping in between words. I cocked the shotgun, turned to the demon and fired. The impact of the buckshot caused it to jolt backwards. I cocked again and fired another. It was as if I was hitting the vile creature with bean bags instead of buckshot, but at least I created a little distance. I gripped my switchblade and raced towards Tyler with all the adrenaline I had left in the tank—my body barely remaining upright. He swung one leg over the fence and before he could lift the other, I grabbed it and yanked him back into the yard.

He fell, banging his head against the hard soil. A stream of crimson flowed from his nose and dripped on the ground.

“Fuck!” he squealed, clutching his nostrils.

I stood over him, bloody and a mess, but still standing. His eyes raised up, and I saw panic fill his pupils.

“No—No please!”

The thunderous hammering of the demon was getting closer.

I looked down at Tyler, “I promised you… remember?”

I plunged the knife deep into his heart. He grabbed my hand, let out a small gasp… and then nothing. The light in his eyes flickered away as I yanked the knife out again.

My legs gave out beneath me and I immediately collapsed on the ground. That was all I had left, my body couldn’t move. I slumped against the fence and let the knife roll from my hand onto the dirt.

“Come on!” I shouted “Hurry up and end already!”

I felt nothing but acute pain pulsating in my wounds with every heartbeat. The demon closed in on me, fury raging in its eyes.

“Kate…” I whispered, “no Kate… please…”

With not an ounce of hesitation, it took one final leap towards me. Its sharp claws positioned perfectly to split me open. Its ferocious gaze beaming with malice. I squinted. Lifted my palm.

And then I saw nothing but black.

—break—

In the endless abyss of darkness, soft whispers called out to me, circling me with the predatory grace of a lion preparing to strike its prey. In this world of the in-between, I was alone, with nothing in sight except pitch black. The whispers coiled around me, increasing in volume as they wrapped me in a warm blanket of symphony. They were not from a voice I recognized, but still, they felt familiar to me somehow.

As I fell deeper and deeper. The voices became faint, blending together in a resonant harmony that echoed in my ears.

“Thou… Thou who desires power. A power that befits thee, for thou who revels in the path of trickery and beseeches the unknown. Thou who desires power, and wishes to bring wrath down upon thy foes. Thou who desires the power of gathering. He, whose name is the west. I shall heed thy declaration. I shall give thou strength…”

In a single moment I felt a flood of sensation. I shot out of the darkness that surrounded me as if I were being submerged in water—drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.

“AHHHH!” A voice other than mine screamed.

“What the—!” I sprang out of my bed and clicked on the nightstand lamp.

“Kiana, when did you come in here?”

My little sister sat on the opposite side of the bed holding her favorite stuffed animal, Boba the Panda.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, “I had a really bad dream that you died just like daddy. So I came in here and tried to wake you up, but you wouldn’t get up no matter what I did.”

I sighed and softened my posture. I took a moment to look down at my hands and legs, and felt around my torso. I was relieved to see that everything on my real body was fine. I exhaled sharply through my nose. Pulling back the bed cover, I sat down next to Kiana.

“I was worried. I put my ear up against your chest, and I could hear your heart beating, so I wanted to make sure it kept beating and hoped you would wake up by morning. Then I fell asleep by accident.”

She pouted her lips as if she were disappointed in herself. I chuckled. “I’m sorry. I told you that I’m a very deep sleeper. Nothing you can do about that.”

I playfully nudged her, “Sorry for scaring you. I’m not gonna die, I would never leave you and Clayton here alone.”

Kiana smiled and placed her hand on my pillow. Her face turned ghostly, “Eww! It's all sweaty!” she yelled.

“Hey,” said Clayton groggily, standing in the doorway. “Can you both be quiet? You woke me up.”

“Now you know how it feels, Clay,” Kiana retorted. “You always snore like a freaking cow!”

“Yeah you bitch ass cow!” I added, throwing the sweaty pillow at him.

“What the—why’s it wet?!” Clayton wiped his hand against his shirt, his face winced in disgust. “And you’re the bitch ass cow, Day! I’m going back to bed.”

He stepped back and retreated to his room down the hallway. Me and Kiana continued laughing to ourselves.

“Hey,” she asked, “when Clayton turns sixteen in June, will he get to drive your car to school?”

“No, he still has to take the bus until he can pay for his OWN car.”

She pondered, stroking her chin thoughtfully, “When I turn sixteen, do I get to drive your car to school?”

I sucked in my bottom lip and hummed. “I’ll think about it. That’s still like thirty years away.”

I leaned over and clicked off the lamp’s light.

“Day?”

“Yesss, Kiana?”

“Can I stay in here tonight?”

“Yes, Kiana.” I turned over in bed and pulled the comforter over my shoulder.

“Day, can I ask one more thing?”

“Huh?”

“When you woke up, you seemed scared. Were you also having a bad dream?”

I glanced over at Kiana, seeing her wide, innocent eyes made me look away. Guilt was gnawing away at me, I felt ashamed that I almost died over something that was completely avoidable. If that dream lasted for only a few more seconds, I would have never made it back home. I would have left them all alone—just like dad had died, leaving me. The weight of my choices were going to directly affect her and Clayton. I realized I had been far too reckless.

My head sunk deep into my pillow.

“...Yeah,” I said, “it was a bad dream.”